Leslie Bayers named executive director of K-State Teaching and Learning Center

Leslie Bayers has been named executive director of Kansas State University's Teaching and Learning Center, effective Dec. 6.

As the university's central hub for teaching excellence and academic innovation, the center serves a critical role in supporting faculty, graduate teaching assistants and student success across the institution.

In her new role, Bayers will oversee the center's programs and services and work with academic leaders and campus partners to strengthen teaching and learning, support instructional development and expand the effective use of educational technologies across the institution.

"We are excited to welcome Leslie to K-State," said Marci R. McMahon, assistant vice provost for faculty affairs. "Her extensive expertise in teaching and learning and record of developing impactful faculty support programs make her an outstanding addition to our academic community. We look forward to the impact she will have on faculty development and student learning across the university."

Bayers joins K-State from the University of the Pacific, where she has worked in the Center for Teaching and Learning since 2015 and served as director since 2023. During her time there, she developed a faculty fellows program, helped establish a student partners program and led a faculty mentoring initiative.

She also introduced a summer course design institute and worked with academic departments to develop workshops addressing their instructional needs. Her work has included helping faculty incorporate artificial intelligence into their courses and better support neurodivergent students.

Before joining the University of the Pacific, Bayers was an associate professor of Spanish at St. Mary's College of Maryland, where she became the college's first teaching and learning coordinator. She organized faculty workshops, led new faculty seminars and provided individual teaching consultations.

"I am thrilled to be joining K-State as the executive director of the Teaching and Learning Center. Innovative, learner-centered teaching is key to the Next-Gen K-State mission and student success," said Bayers. "My experiences as a teaching center director, faculty member and interdisciplinary scholar have positioned me well to build institutional networks that advance teaching growth amid significant change in higher ed. I am excited to work with the Teaching and Learning Center team to cultivate a hub of connection and creativity that supports faculty and graduate student thriving."

Bayers has published research on teaching and learning, including work on student engagement, equitable assessment and the role of movement in learning. She has also presented at national conferences on teaching practices and supporting neurodivergent learners.

Bayers earned a doctorate in Spanish from the University of Kansas and a master's degree in Spanish and bachelor's degree in secondary education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received the Homer L. Dodge Award for Excellence in Teaching by Junior Faculty at St. Mary's College of Maryland and the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the University of Kansas.